Looking for advice on new riding mower purchase?

[JASJESKI]

I wasn’t sure if this was right place to post? My Brother is looking to buy a new riding mower from Home Depot. It is about ½ acre lot in Southeastern Michigan. Might also get a bagger for it, I don’t think will use for snow (have snow blowers). Any recommendations info./opinions that might be helpful would be appreciated. I’m looking at the different manufacturers, (John Deere, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt).engine size (1 or 2 cylinder), (Briggs & Stratton vs. Kohler, John Deere branded engine). Information about transmission types etc Looks like most have Hydrostatic. (Troy Bilt Auto Drive transmission with foot pedal control vs. Hydrostatic) Budget of $2000.00 or less. Any sites that offer reviews etc. Any of the above manufacturers have any major problems? Also do not have pets or kids, do you think reverse mowing options is good or bad? (I thought there was a federal requirement?)

 

[Born2Mow]

Pretty much any name brand mower is first rate, especially when you consider they all use common engines and hydraulic units. Beware those discounted off-brand mowers at furniture stores and other outlets with no service facility. They are typically Chinese copies that have no parts supply backing them up.

First I recommend narrowing down the TYPE of mower: garden tractor or zero turn. Deciding on the type of mower first will cut your total choices in half right off the bat.

>> If your property has steep terrain, then zero turn mowers will more easily slide down embankments. Although they have 4 tires, only the 2 big wheels do anything. On the other hand, on nearly flat yards ZTM's can cut much closer around trees and obstacles, which often eliminates secondary hand trimming.

>> Garden tractors do better cutting close to lakes and other hazards... especially cutting across a hillside, like a dam. Garden tractors also have an edge when pulling accessory trailers and going through gates.

Secondly, see what your locally owned mower shop sells and services. They often have much better prices and service deals than big box stores.

Hope this helps.

 

[bertsmobile1]

for that type of money he will not get much of a mower and will be repeating the purchase in the near future
In reality he will get a top shelf self propelled for that sort of cash or the very bottom end ride on.
Modern powder coating makes them all look pretty
With a block of that size a Rear Engine Rider is probably the better ride on to be looking at as they are designed for small lots with many obstructions to mow around.
Other than that a used JD 200 series ZTR or Toro Time Cutter would be my choice.
All of the other small ZTR's are trash and his comes from some one who only does repairs so no franchise brand bias from me .
A new hydrostatic transmission start at $ 850 wholesale for the worst bottom end ones and go up to $ 3000
A single cylinder engine big enough to drive a ride on start at around $ 300 ( Chinese imports ) or $ 750 ( USA assembled ) and V twins are around 70 % on top of that, wholesale prices

Then there is the body work, assembly transport factory profit margin & retail profit margin so you see $ 2000 does not buy much.

A variable speed drive ( uses 2 drive belts ) is a lot cheaper to make in the first place , massively cheaper to repair and has 10 times the service life of a hydrostatic drive
The laziness of a F-R pedal costs money

And yes the reverse lock out is law , easy to dissable provided the driver has more than 2 functioning brain cells and does not mow while a crawling baby or live power wire in laying on the grass.

Deck sizes are proportional to the engine size plus a transmission factor
My old geared mowers from the 60's are around 4" per Hp
A hydro drive is around 3" per Hp now days
ZTRs are close to 2" per Hp because just like an auto car , the auto ( hydro ) box gobbles up a lot of power .
They both cut the grass the same one just uses double the fuel & is easier to use ( laziness costs money )

 

[ModernMode]

Rear engine would be the way to go. Cub Cadet makes a good one, not sure how much it costs though. I just bought the electric version of the Cub Cadet but that's above your price range. I wouldn't buy a mower without the mow-in-reverse option. The 2021 Consumer Reports Buying Guide rates the Cub Cadet CC30 H number three. One and Two are electrics above $2000. Reliability above average and owner satisfiaction excellent. Below average for noise.

 

[wekjo]

Here is where you start, get a 3 blade not a 2 blade. 3 blade you get done faster and don't have all those mohawk stripes in the corners of your lawn missed by the gaps in the 2 blade decks on turns. 3 blade is usually going to be 46" cut or larger, and yes cost more. Most of these mowers are made by the same two companies, just different branding. Troy-bilt and Murray stand out as as most cheaply made. If your grass is thick their thin mower decks will actually float on top of the grass and adjustment is futile. Look for something that does not have the mickey mouse steering system in the picture, these are very common. Firstly they sag and cause tires to bow out-wards after a bit of use, try and align them! Secondly they quickly fail and at least $500 just in parts to replace, at least you can buy aftermarket adjustable units. If I had a $2k budget I would look for a used low hours dealer model Cub Cadet. The dealer models have Kawasaki engines, that way you avoid the Kohler Courage so common to late model used mowers. I have a 73 JD 110 which is still running but is a hobby horse, 1 hour wrenching for 2 hours mowing; a 2009 Simplicity Conquest which now has a Kohler series 6000 which replaced the Courage series. It has gone through 2 prior B&S engines and 1 transmission; and a 2007 JD 175 with the aforementioned mickey mouse steering which I have had replaced twice in as many years. No clue as to how many times prior owners replaced same.

 

[nacl9163]

The mowers sold at Lowes and Home Depot are inexpensive, but the bottom of the line--and you get what you pay for. I've had good luck with 2 different Deere middle of the line mowers. The bottom of the line were essentially the Lowes/Home Depot models, and the top of the line were too $ for my taste. I currently have a Deere S240, which has a 42" deck, Kawasaki engine, and a tight turning radius. I mow about 2 acres, with lots of trees and bed to go around. It handles these nicely. My service strategy is to service it myself one year, then let the dealer do it the next. But whatever you get, be sure to lube it, keep the blade sharp, and carry out service instructions faithfully.

 

[a022mil]

Model 75742 or 75740, toro zero turn , around $2650 or $2450, 42 inch, twin cylinder is the #75742, if you area veteran you should get an extra 10% lower price, I have the 75742, happy with it, very easy to use, good at mulching grass or leaves.

Check with different dealer’s , if you need service, they are great, plus the dealer I chose in Toledo, Ohio matched the box store price, happy I chose a local dealer, hope this help’s.